Where does Earth's nitrogen go? Two atoms offer a clue
Nitrogen is one of life's building blocks, but it's only helpful in the right amounts. Too much nitrogen in water, for example, can lead to poor water quality and the gradual death of aquatic organisms. Microbes remove nitrogen from water by converting it to a gas that escapes into the atmosphere. But scientists have difficulty determining...
Key Takeaways
- Nitrogen is one of life's building blocks, but it's only helpful in the right amounts.
- Too much nitrogen in water, for example, can lead to poor water quality and the gradual death of aquatic organisms.
- Microbes remove nitrogen from water by converting it to a gas that escapes into the atmosphere.
Nitrogen is one of life's building blocks, but it's only helpful in the right amounts. Too much nitrogen in water, for example, can lead to poor water quality and the gradual death of aquatic organisms. Microbes remove nitrogen from water by converting it to a gas that escapes into the atmosphere. But scientists have difficulty determining how much nitrogen is removed this way.
Original Publisher Attribution
This summary was curated from Phys.org.